Day01 Arrival in ChengduArrival in Chengdu, capital of province Sichuan, the home town of Panda. Picked up by the local guide at the airport and transfer to the hotel. 1N at 4*Holiday Inn Express Wuhou

Day02 Chengdu – Yaan – Kangding BLDLeave in the morning for Kangding. En route at Yaan, the famous rainy city, we will visit the Giant Panda Breeding Centre and Research Institute, the home of many giant pandas. In addition, we will make a short visit to Shangli ancient town in an extremely serene and beautiful surroundings. In the mid afternoon we will drive accross the Tunnel of Erlang Mountain, the mountain was traditionally the natural limits of Han Chinese villages and the Tibetan communities. Arrival in Kangding, the capital of Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and the important juncture of Tibetan and Han People in history. 1N at 3*Kalakal Hotel

Day03 Kangding – Xinduqiao – Tagong – Bamei – Danba BLDCross over Zheduo Shan Pass (4298 m) to Xinduqiao, a small town on the road juncture where the northern route of Sichuan-Tibet Highway (Chengdu - Lhasa) and the southern route of Sichuan-Tibet Highway (Chengdu - Lhasa) meet. Drive to Tagong, visit of Lhagang Monastery (Tagong Si) of Sayka Sect, which is surrounded by three hills symbolizing three Bodhisattvas. Keep driving via Bamei to Danba (1900 m), the most beautiful village of China. The local people are called Gyarong (Jiarong) Tibetans. Overnight at a Tibetan family in Jiaju Village.

Day04 Danba – Rantang BLDIn the morning visit of Jiaju Tibetan Residences. More than one hundred buildings keep the same architectural style with a complete and unique character of Gyarong (Jiarong) Tibetan residences. Under the blue sky, the Tibetan residences decorated in red, white and black are strewed at random but also in order from the bottom to the middle slope of the valley. Danba is claimed to be the Kingdom of Thousands of Ancient Blockhouses. Visit of the ancient block towers in village Suopo. In the afternoon drive to Rangtang (Dzamthang). On the way visit of Sirin Kar Monastery, 30 km before arriving at Rangtang. Sirin Kar (si tin kar dgonpa) is an institution of the Karma-Kagyuepa order, having more than 300 monks under one incarnaing lama's guidance. Late in the afternoon we arrive in Rangtang. In Tibetan Rangtang means the Treasure God’s Flat Land. 2N at 2*Rangtang Hotel

Day05 Rangtang BLDVisit of Rangtang (Dzamthang) Monatsery, the chief institution of the Jonangpa order. Then drive to the nearby Nyingmapa lamasery Bangtuo. Bangtuo Si was already famous for the throngs of choerten built from the 17th century up to 1910. The oldest of the Bangtuo choerten was built in 1618 and shelters a small number of 17th century murals.

Day06 Rangtang – Banma BLDDrive to Banma (Pema), about 12 km southeast of Pema county town, the historically oldest monastery of the whole Ngolok region is reached: Achonggya Gompa (Yaritang Si), the Ngolok's Jonangpa monastery with the longest history and one of the largest among them. Continue to drive to Cagri Gompa (Jiangritang Si). It was built only in 1937, but due to its extraordinary features should be seen among the most remarkable sites in Ngolok. It is located southeast from the roadside about two to three kilometers after the bridge across Mar Chu river. This complex was constructed under the guidance of Khempo Ngaga and Baizha Lama of Kathog Monastery in Kham. 1N at simple Lotus Hotel

Day07 Banma – Shim Tso Lake BLDAfter breakfast drive to Shim Tso Lake. On the way visit of Peyuel Darthang Ling (Baiyu Si). It is the fastest developing Nyingmapa monastery in the Ngolok grasslands. The history of the monastery dates back to 1857 when Gyatruel Lama of Peyuel Monastery in Kham, Pema Dongak Tendzin (1830-1891), came here for the first time to propagate the Buddhist Doctrine. Afterwards drive to visit Longge Monastery, a subtemple belonging to Ragya Monastery. In the afternoon reach Shim Tso Lake, the start point for the trekking at holy mountain Nyenpo Yutse. Camping

Day12 Ngomu Tso – Cigdril – Aba BLDSay goodbye to the trekking crew and the pack-yaks drive via Cigdril (Jiuzhi) to Aba (Ngawa). Like Banma and Jiuzhi Aba is also the hometown of Ngolok people. Aba means people coming from Ngari in Tibetan. In this area all the sects of Tibetan Buddhism remain and exist in harmony. The warlike behaviour and the fact that almost extinct religious traditions - such as Boen and Jonangpa - had taken refuge in the great Ngawa area, suggest reasons for an enduring religious diversity. The history of southeastern Amdo, which is quite different from both central Tibet and central Amdo, is not very well known so far. 2N at 2*Nianbao Yuze Hotel

Day13 Aba BLDIn the morning visit of Kirti Monastery (Ge’erdeng Si) of Gelug Sect. Originally built in 1870, it has become the biggest monasteries in Kham-Amdo region of Sichuan after more than 100 years of development. After lunch drive to Nangshig Monastery, located at a hillside to the northeast of the Aba County. Nangshig Monastery is one of the biggest Bon monastery in China and has a history of about 900 years after it was built in 1107. Then visit of Jomo Gompa nunnery . Located at the Mami Mountain of Siwa Town six kilometers to the west of the county seat, the nunnery of Gelug Sect is the biggest one of its kind in Amdo-Kham regions. It was built in 1894 and has a history of more than 100 years.

Day15 Miyaluo – Taoping – Chengdu BLIn the morning leave for Chengdu. On the way visit of Taoping, a Qiang People’s stocked village. The ancient Taoping village has a great appeal for the numerous experts and tourists with its old and wonderful fortress buildings. 1N at 4*Holiday Inn Express Wuhou

Day16 Leave Chengdu BTransfer to airport and see off.

Highlights

Informationen

This journey is an adventure and only succeeds if you show understanding, patience and flexibility for the possible delays and program changes or imponderable situations. It requires the participants to have the sense of community and a cooperative spirit, and be ready to face very simple living conditions. Despite the careful planning, the program might change, sometimes in a short term, which may result in possible program modifications and the cancellation of some visits. Of course, the best for both our team and you is to respect the intented program. Besides we would like to point out that you are responsible for your own for all the possible dangers during the journey.